Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Hacettepe Ãœniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı – Ankara Nerve conduction studies are frequently performed to evaluate peripheral nerve disease. With increased life expectancy, nerve conduction studies are increasingly being performed on elderly individuals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of age on nerve conduction parameters. We examined 81 women (aged 20-76 years old) with no history and present signs of central and peripheral nervous system disease. Nerve conduction studies were performed in upper limbs of healthy individuals. Standart nerve conduction techniques using constant measured distances were applied to evaluate the median and ulnar nerves. Median motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities were decreased with age. Compound sensory action potential amplitude for median nerve was to be negatively correlated with age. Ulnar nerve compound muscle action potential and compound sensory action potential amplitudes were also decreased with age. Age related changes may occur in some of the nerve conduction parameters and adjusting these parameters for age increase the diagnostic sensitivity. Keywords : Nerve conduction studies, Elderly, Ulnar nerve, Median nerve, Normal values